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Battery went dead sitting, What to check?

2K views 2 replies 2 participants last post by  eric32 
#1 ·
Hello guys I went out to start my truck today and for some reason my battery was almost dead at only 10 volts showing when you turn the key forward in the start position so I know something drained it. I had to get a jump.

This is a carbureted v8 96 s10 and not using any gauges in dash area as I have a set of aftermarket gauges. I drove my truck last Friday and everything was charging and working just fine with no issues. I have not driven it since then. Everything on charging system is brand new and battery is less then two years old and it was fully charged last week.

I did have some sort of problem with my chime staying on while the dash light was on while running headlights but if I turned the dash light dimmer switch to the off position to shut dash light off it would go off. Now while running the lights the chime sometimes would keep quiet. Anyways that should not be the problem as the only change I did to my truck since last week was take out the chime box under my dash and nothing else.

I looked over everything in my truck and there was no light's on inside anywhere and the key was in the correct position when I took it out. Now I don't know if this is causing the drain or not but on my dash there is nothing on but for some reason the battery indicator light stays on even with no keys in the truck and heck I never paid attention before but to me it seems that should not be showing with nothing on or running correct?

So if this is the problem can just that little indicator not shutting off drain my battery by not wanting to shut off? I never paid attention before cause only gauge that works in dash is the volt gauge. Hope someone can help me out on what the heck to check for cause everything else is working as normal and all lights turn off when the key is off.

Thanks guys
Eric
 
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#3 ·
Hello guys thanks for the tip. I already have one of those and I used it and unhooked the battery ground wire and put it to the positive cable and it did not light up but the battery emblem on my dash would not go off until the battery was unhooked of course and I discovered that a wire hooked up to my alternator was causing my dash battery indicator to stay on even with key out as it was drawing constant power somehow.

I thought the wire hooked up to my alternator was for my dash volt meter but turns out it was not so I took it off and problem solved.

The battery indicator does not come on now just when you start it and it then will go off and nothing is on while truck is off.

I also had everything checked at the auto store and they checked alternator,battery and all is good. Thanks a lot guys for the tricks

I learned something new from this.
Take care
Eric
 
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